Will It Stay Together?

Author's Note: I wrote this story with the help of my friend,Brooke D!.Check her out and her part of this story! (This is Garnet’s point of view.)

We had just got into our new house, and all of our stuff was piled everywhere in brown cardboard boxes. The living room, or would-be living room we stood in was bare and drab, but we soon would fix that. For now, there was just Baneenkani (my girlfriend) and me.

“It’ll be different, that’s for sure. But I think we can turn it into a home. Together.” Kani had a dreamy look on her face. I loved her the most when she does that. I grinned as I walked towards Kani and kissed her. She put her hand on the side of my face, and we stayed together for a few seconds, then we both stopped the kiss. Kani walked straight into our bedroom, where only a large mattress laid. I could hear the floorboards creaking and Kani’s muffled snores. She was already asleep. I stayed up as always, watching the stars. 

--- 

Four weeks later, all of our furniture has been set up and ready, and most of our stuff is unpacked. In the past week, I have been getting crankier and crankier. Our house is too small and cramped! How could we trade our big, wide country house for this? I was getting more and more annoyed with Kani, as she was the one who suggested it. I took everything out on her, and if she had anything good to say, I would stomp on it with the bad. In the past week, our relationship has gotten tenser. I wonder who is to blame.

On a Friday night, Kani and I were standing in the kitchen, making Hamburger Helper and salad. Normally I loved it, but now, I wasn’t in the mood to be happy. But this was our normal Friday dinner, so I had to make it. Kani was mixing the lettuce, cheese, bacon pieces, ranch, tomatoes, cucumbers, and croutons. I stirred the Hamburger Helper concoction slowly and put the lid on it. As I did, my anger boiled over.

“Can’t believe that you chose this small of a kitchen,” I snarled at Kani. She stopped mixing the salad to glare at me angrily. 

“When we bought it, you said that this kitchen would work for us fine. So that’s on you,” Kani snapped back. I could see her jaw tighten, her fists clench, and her fiery glare. She was really getting on my last nerve. Had been for the last week. 

“Maybe, but there still isn’t enough counter space.” 

“Oh, shut up. You don’t have enough space in your brain to hear the good.” 

I felt my anger rising to the boiling point. She had comebacks and witty snips, and I had what? An annoying girlfriend? My mind turned fuzzy with frustration. I saw Kani putting the salad bowl on the counter, and she had her hands on her hips. I realized what I wanted to do in a split second. 

“Whatever, Kani. Now it appears that I’ve lost my appetite. You can finish cooking for yourself. I’m going over to Todd’s house to watch the game.” 

I wretched my coat and keys off the table, and slammed the door. I stormed down the street, and wondered if I actually loved her.

--- 

“Pass the potatoes.” I said to Kani. Every since I walked out on her at Friday, she’s been acting like a bomb, ready to explode at the slightest thing I said. She rolled her eyes and looked away. I jabbed at her with my finger, hitting her hard. 

“What?” Kani had her fiery glare again. How I hated it.

“I said, pass the potatoes!” I cried, annoyed and angry. She had changed so much in the past days, Ever since we’d moved in. I wondered if we hadn’t moved, we would still be in our country house, understanding each other. Kani loved our house more than me now. I wish that we hadn’t moved again. I loved her, but that fragile line of love was collapsing quickly. 

“Here, then,” Kani growled, sliding the bowl of cheesy potatoes down the table to me. I grabbed it quickly and harshly. A scowl was covering my face, and I didn’t do anything to try to hide it from Kani. 

“I’m gonna get some milk.” Kani got up from her chair and began sprinting into the kitchen. I stopped her. I couldn’t just let her go without my acknowledgment!

“Come again?” 

“I said I’m going to get some milk. You got a problem with that?” Kani snarled back at me. I then changed my mind again.

“No. Go on.” I helped myself to a large forkful of cheesy potatoes and stared at Kani.

“Glad I know I have your permission.” 

--- 

“When a person has a problem with the decisions that another person is making, a person should talk to the person instead of complaining about that person to that person’s best friend,” Kani blabed. I made my eyes slits; shouldn’t the person who’s your girlfriend make sense once in a while?

“All this person talk is making me dizzy. Talk in a foreign language, why don’t you?” I rhetorically asked. If she won’t make sense, I won’t. What was Kani even talking about?! 

“Ah, shut up. Ever since we moved in here, you’ve hated me, hated this house, and not cared about any of it! I’m sick and tired of having to worry about what you’re going to think, about how you’ll react. So, I’m not going to anymore! Lilah doesn’t believe you about all of the stuff you told her--I’m just going to go stay with her. Don’t expect me to be back any time soon,” Kani fumed. I could see smoke rising. And now I thought it was a perfect time to scream at her too.

“Fine! I don’t care! It’ll be a relief to not have to be heckled about my personal opinions. And I thought when we first started dating, that you would respect my beliefs.” I stomped into our bedroom, looking behind me angrily. I then proceeded to slam the door the our bedroom as hard as I could. Then I toppled on our bed, angry and sad.

--- 

When I woke up, Kani had left. It was like a huge weight had been lifted off me, and I could finally be at peace. Without anyone bothering me, I could be alone by myself in the living room. Sleep by myself. Eat by myself. It was actually kind of peaceful, life without Kani. I was beginning to think that everything would be okay, that I could live forever in this place. Then my hopes and dreams were shattered into a million pieces and stepped on when Kani appeared at our door.

--- 

“Why’d you come back? I thought we were over,” I groaned. Kani’s eyes shot daggers at me as she was putting her tee shirts in the dresser. I was sitting on the edge of the bed, complementing life. 

“What the heck?! No! I just need a break, okay? We never decided that we’re ‘over’. So shut your mouth.” Kani slammed the dresser drawer close with a boom and pranced to the closet, hanging up more of her clothes. 

“Well, maybe I did want to decide that. Maybe I’m sick of living with you and your petty attitude, and the fact that you can’t come to terms with the fact that we have different opinions.” I jumped up from the bed and stared at the back of Kani’s head. Kani spun around and stared at me in the eye. I did the same, wishing that the ceiling would come down on Kani.

“Fine! If you want that, then you can pack up and move out! I’m over you, too! Get out! You never liked this place, anyway!” I saw Kani’s tear-filled eyes and her shaking figure. She flung her arms out, then let them drop to her sides. 

“Fine! This is what I wanted! I’ve always wanted out! Bye!” I screamed at the top of my lungs. I stamped out of the bedroom, the floorboards creeeeeeaking loudly. As I yanked the door open I had one last glance at my ex. She was crying, but not begging me to stay. I jumped out of the house, not caring about my clothes, possessions, or food. I could worry about that later. Right now, I was free.

So be it.